History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c96.s2.111

v7.c96.s2.111

In order to cultivate a sense of unity among all Hindus (including the so-called untouchables), the Mandala prepared a congregational prayer (to be recited by all Hindus in a congregation once in a month) consisting of the following eleven passages culled from the Vedic literature, viz. Atharvaveda X. 8.1, Ṛg X. 82.3, I. 164.16, Vāj. S. 25.21, Ṛg. X. 121. 10, Tai. Ār. 4.42.5, the Gāyatrīmantra, Bṛ. Up. I 3 28 (asato mā sad-gamaya, tamaso mā jyotir-gamaya, mṛtyor māsmṛtaṃ gamaya), Ṛg. X. 191.2-4. In many villages some people tried to introduce this congregational prayer, but after some time most people complained that they found it difficult to commit to memory and recite the Vedic passages and requested that similar congregational prayers be prepared in Hindi and therefore the Mandala prepared a brief prayer of five verses in Hindi.